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July 18, 2017
It took a decade, but Larose native and LSU football coach Ed Orgeron finally made it back to SEC Media Days this past week.
In his return, he wore purple and gold – colors he’s been dreaming of wearing since he was a young boy.
Orgeron officially started his first full season as LSU’s coach this past week, kicking off the final stretch of the offseason with an appearance at SEC Media Days in Alabama.
Orgeron, a South Lafourche High School graduate and lifelong Cajun, said leading the Tigers is a dream come true – something he’s wanted to do since he was a small boy.
He said this year’s team is young, but hungry, adding that he believes LSU will have a chance to compete in every, single game on the schedule – a grueling, 12-game grind which kicks off with BYU, but also features road dates at Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss.
“I wanted to be in the purple and gold (forever),” Orgeron said. “What an honor. I obviously am excited about the upcoming season.”
Almost all of the talk was about LSU’s new-look offense, which is under the command of first-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
Orgeron spoke highly of Canada at Media Day, calling him one of the best assistant coaches in the country – a guy who can make an instant impact on LSU’s program.
The words have merit.
Canada has coached successful offenses at several stops throughout his career.
In one season with Pitt, the Panthers ranked No. 6 in the country, averaging 42.1 points per game – up from the 26.8 points per game the team earned the season before.
The Panthers didn’t just pad their stats against creampuffs, either.
They were a force against everyone, including a 40-plus-point showing in a victory at National Champion Clemson – the only game the Tigers lost last season.
Pittsburgh also scored 42 points in a win against Penn State and 76 points against Syracuse to close the 2016 season.
Orgeron said he expects a similar high-powered approach at LSU. He added that Canada’s philosophy, which is to spread out opposing defenses, while getting the football to playmakers, will be invaluable the Tigers’ running and passing games.
“Matt runs a very diverse offense,” Orgeron said. “There are a lot of shifts, motions, use of personnel, fly sweeps. He makes it difficult to defend, but the thing I like best about Matt was he talked about being a team player and he talked about running a balanced offense – 50 percent run and 50 percent pass.”
A lot of the “50 percent run” will be plays designed for junior halfback Derrius Guice who returns after winning the SEC rushing title in 2016.
Orgeron said Guice had a great offseason and is ready to thrive now that he’s officially LSU’s every-down back. Guice has been a backup to former LSU standout and first-round NFL draft pick Leonard Fournette for the first two seasons of his collegiate career.
“Everything that we do is going to be based around our best player – Derrius Guice,” Orgeron said. “We feel we have one of the best running backs and one of the best offensive players in the country coming back. … Derrius is a great player. He runs the ball like Warren Sapp played the defensive line for me at Miami. He runs with an attitude.”
The Tigers return their quarterback, too.
Orgeron stopped short of naming him the opening-night starter, but senior quarterback Danny Etling is widely expected to lead LSU’s offense again in 2016 after doing a solid patch-up job last year after the team benched Brandon Harris, then fired Les Miles.
Etling passed for 2,123 yards with 11 touchdowns last year in 10 starts, including seven games with more than 200 yards passing.
Orgeron said he hopes Canada can work the Midas touch on Etling and catapult him to the top of the SEC ranks at the position.
Canada has had such luck in the past.
Last year, Pittsburgh quarterback Nathan Peterman came out of the ranks of the unknown in Canada’s scheme, tossing 27 touchdowns and just 7 picks – enough to be drafted to the NFL.
If Etling falters, the Tigers do have quarterback depth – namely true freshmen Myles Brennan and Lowell Narcisse. They both were among the top quarterbacks in the country for the Class of 2017.
“There’s a quarterback competition going into fall camp, but right now, if we were to play, Danny would be our starter,” Orgeron said. “And by the way, Danny loves the competition. He loves that we made it a quarterback competition. He thrives in it.”
Defensively, LSU is young, but still glittered with four and five-star prospects all over the field.
The Tigers lost five players from their front seven, including Kendell Beckwith and Duke Riley.
In the secondary, LSU lost Tre’Davious White and Jamal Adams – both of whom were among the top players in the country.
But the talent pool isn’t yet dry.
Up front, LSU returns defensive end/outside linebacker Arden Key – a guy who Orgeron said is one of the best players in America.
Orgeron also touted some of Key’s supporting cast along the line, including Rashard Lawrence, Christian LaCouture and others who are trying to make their mark as Tigers.
The coach conceded that LSU’s defense will likely be behind the offense early in camp because of inexperience, but it’s a phenomenon that’s not expected to last long.
For the second-straight year, LSU’s defense is coached by Dave Aranda – a guy Orgeron called the best assistant coach in the country.
With his guidance, Orgeron said the Tigers will find their stride in no time.
“I know Dave Aranda will have them ready,” Orgeron said.
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